Lifting-truck.



W. F. IRRGANG.

UFTING TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. I916.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

t INVENTOR.

WITNESSES A TTORNE YS.

W. F. IRRGANG.

LIFTING TRUCK.

APPLUCATION FILED APR.20,1916.

Patented Jan. 8,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

1,253,1'7&

IN VEN TOR.

WITNESSES fi/ZW MmF/f ATTORNEYS.

WILLIAM F. IRRGANG, F WINDSOR LOCKS, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 GEORGE F.

CLARK COMPANY, OF WINDSOR LOCKS, CONNECTIGUT, A GORPORATIQN 0F CON- NECTICUT.

LIFTING-TRUCK.

fipecizlcatlon 0t Letters Eatent.

Patented Jan. 8, rare.

Application filed April 20, 1916. Seria1No..92,t00.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. Insomnia,

I a citizen of the United States of America residing in Windsor Looks, in the county of Hartford and the State of'Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lifting-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trucks of the lifting type and particularly to improvements in trucks of the class disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,174,580, granted to me March 7, 1916.

Trucks of the type, such as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent, for example, comprise, in general two relatively movable frames, one of which is movably mounted on the other and arranged to receive a load and the other to be wheel supported; lift- 111g mechanism to interconnect the two frames; and devices operable from the truck handle to actuate said mechanism.

An object of this invention is to generally improve the structure and arrangement of the handle operated devices and the lifting mechanism actuated thereby, characterized by provision for relatively slow. rate of lift at the start and end of the stroke of the handle and by a larger and substantially uniform rate of lift intermediate these positions, whereby the work required by the operator is distributedthroughout the stroke of the handle and the reatest efi'ort is required when the ban e is so positioned that the operatorcan conveniently andeiiiciently exert his best efforts thereon.

Another object of the invention is toprovide in a lifting truck of the type described, improved mechanism whereby the handle operated devices'may be connected and disconnected from the lifting mechanism in a simple andefiicient manner, with a minimum of time and efl'ort on the part of the operator.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the detailed description to follow and in the annexed claims.

Referring to the drawings as illustrating one preferred embodiment of the invent? 'JIl Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the an arched casting 3.

truck with the movable frame thereof shown in lowered position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1; Fi 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the hook arm being purposely shown in engagement with the lifting mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the truck taken similarly to Fig. 3 and showing the movable frame in raised position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a view generally similar to Fig. 3 showing a modification; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical View illustrative of the rate of lift of the platform.

A frame 1 formed of a single bar bent into U-form has its cross piece bolted to the rear axle 2', as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The side portions of the U-shaped frame 1 extend forwardly in spaced relation and are bolted, as shown in Figs. land 4, to Wheels 2 mounted uponaxle 2' support the frame 1 at the rear while the forward end of the latter is supported by a single front wheel 5 which is mounted in a casting 4 swiveled in the arched member 3. The mechanism so far described is a wheel supported frame and may be considered as a carriage upon which the remaining devices to be described are mounted.

A load bearing frame 6, formed in U- shape, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5 is supported from the frame 1 by pairs of links 7 and 8. This movable frame, when in lowered position, as shown in Fig. 1, is arranged to rest upon the frame 1, whereby its downward movement is limited. The forward pair of links 8 have portions extending above the frame 6 and between these spaced links is a cross-bar 9 by means of which the links may be operated to raise the movable frame 6 in a manner to be described.

The structure just described is substantially the same as that disclosed in my tit above-mentioned prior patent and has been herein described only in general terms sulficiently to permit an understanding of the improvements to be described. For a more complete detailed disclosure of the general structure and operation of the truck, reference is made to the above-mentioned patent. The present invention is more particularly concerned with an improved arrangement of the truck handle, hook arm, and cross bar 9 for cooperative relation in an improved 2 and 5) between which a steering and drawing handle 12 is pivoted on a pin 13. The latter extends beyond ears 11 on either side thereof and overlies the upper surface of member 3 in closely adjacent relation, as best shown in F igs.'2 and 5, whereby relative displacement of members 3 and 4 is prevented in a simple and advantageous manner.

Handle 12 has a centrally formed opening near its lower end (Figs. 2 and 5) to receive a hook arm 14 together with mechanism to connect and disconnect the hook with the cross bar 9. The hook arm 14 is pivoted on a pin 15 which, when the parts are positioned as in Figs. 1 and 3, lies closely adjacent the pivot 13 in the rear thereof and substantially in the same horizontal j lane.

The cross bar 9 is arranged closely ad acent the pivotal connections of links 8 to frame 6 and substantially vertically thereabove,

when the frame 6 is in lowered position.

The hook arm 14 is adapted to engage the cross bar 9, when released by means to be described, and by this engagement and a downward sweep of handle 12 to move links 8 and thus raise frame 6 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig.4. It is to be noted that, when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 3, the hook arm whether hook arm 14 is positioned, as shown pivot 15 lies substantially in a straightline drawn between the handle pivot 13 .and the cross bar 9 and that, when the partsare moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, the

cross-bar. 9-lies substantially in a straight line drawn between the pivot 15 and the.

fulcrum for link 8. v I

The latter is movable, as disclosed in the above-mentionel patent, in slots formed be tween the sides of member 3 and frame 1 (see Fig. 5) and is fulcrumed on a rod 16 which extends entirely across member 3 and substantially abuts the side bars 1, whereby lateral displacement of the fulcrum rod 16 is prevented in anadvantageous and simple manner. The links 8 are movable; through the arc prescribed by the limits of these slots from the position shown in Fig; 3 to-that shown in Fig.4. In thexlatter position cross bar 9 abuts spaced surfaces 17 (Figs. 4 and 5) on member 13 which surfaces prevent further clockwise movement of links 8.

Since the pivotal connections of the latter lie to the right of fulcrum 16, counterclockwise movement of links 8 is prevented and the frame 6 is positively held by the weight of frame 6 and its load in raised position. When frame 6 is positioned, as in Fig. 1,

it rests uponthe upper-edgesof frame '1. at the forward end and upon bosseson links? bed in my in substantially the manner descri prior patent above identified. a

The improved means. for the connection and disconnection of hook arm 14 with cross bar 9 willnowbe described. Thehook arm is fork-shaped adjacent its pivot 15 and encircling the latter and connecting thewalls of the hook arm is a boss 19 which has a projection 20 formed thereon as well as tWo smaller rounded projections 21 and 22. Pivoted at 23 to one side of and within the slot.

in handle 12 is a latch 24 which isadapted to normally engage the projection20 and hold the hook arm 114.to handle 12, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. Latch 24 has a foot piece 25 extending forwardly from handle 12-for convenient actuation by the operator, preferablywith the foot. Pivoted at 26 below and in the path of latch 24. is a crank arm 27 which has an integral operating handle 328 extendingupwardly therefromrand provided.-

with across piece 29 for convenient actuation by the operator. Handle 281s cut. away in Figs. 3 and- 4as it lies-in front of the, line. -3 3 in Fig. 2, but it. has beenv indicated by, dotted lines for the sake of.

clearness. .The latch 24.,is-oflset, as shown in Fig. 5, to1clear.the upstanding handle28 and is adapted normally to rest against the hub of arm 27 asa stop. Arm 27 is forked,.;

as shown in Fig. 2," and piv'otedto this. 1

forked end at 30 isia finger 31.,whichfhas a rounded socketto engage either of.;.th,e

roundedprojections2l or 22 depending on,-

in Fig. 4.or.Fig. 3, respectively. Aspring engage with the projection 211or 22," Itis l to be noted that spring 32 acts to y-ieldingly hold three membersin position, namely the finger 31, so that itabuts stop 33, the arm 37, so that cross piece 29 abuts the front naaaire edges of handle 12, andthe latch 24, so

that it abuts the hub of arm27. Thus, the several members of the controlling mechanism for hook arm 14 are held in position efliciently and advantageously by a single spring.

If desirable, the arm 27 may be arranged for manual instead of foot operation, as shown in Fig. 6 This figure is similar to Figs. 8 and 4 except that arm 27 and finger 31 are not shown in section. Adjacent one edge of arm 27 (in substantially the same location as lever 28, as shown in Fi 2) is an integral upstanding web 40. Slidable within handle 12 is a rod 42 which is connected by a link 41 to the web 40. Rod 42 is ofiset, as shown at 43, in order when depressed to clear the latch 24. This offset43 serves to limit the upward movementof rod 42 by engagement with the upper surface of the opening in handle 12, and thus arm 27 is held positioned byspring 32 in an analogous manner to that already described. Upon depression of rod 42, "arm 27 may be swung on its pivot to actuate finger 31 in a manner similar to thatalready described.

The operation of the truck will now be fully described. The handle 12 and hook arm 14 are normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by the abutment of surface 35 of the handle with anupper face of member 3 and by the latch 24, respectively. Hook arm 14-is so pivoted that, when latch 24 is releasedby pressure on footpiece 25, it drops into operative engagement with cross rod 9. Thereafter, a downward sweep of handle 12 will operate links 8 in an obvious manner and lift frame 6 to the position shown in Fig. 4 wherein it is held by the means; already described. If the hook arm 14 is to be disconnected from rod 9 (see Fig. 4) the operator imparts a sharp kick to the cross piece 29 or, if the structure shown in Fig. 6 is em loyed, depresses rod 42, which moves-arm 2 and thus finger 31 so that the latter engages projection 21 and swings'hook arm 14 upwardly on its pivot and throws it, through proJection 20, into engagement with latch 24, whereby it is held to the handle. The truck may then be drawn and steered by the latter in'the usual manner. To subsequently lower the frame 2, the handle 12 may be swung upwardly to substantially normal position and foot piece 25 depressed as before to allow the hook arm 14 to drop on the cross bar 9.

The arm 14, obviously,does not immediately become operatively'connected to bar 9, as heretofore, but the under surface'of arm 14 is so fashioned that a downward sweep of handle 12 will draw arm 14'along rod 9 and clined surface 60 of hook 14, whereby the latter may be moved to a position wherein it will fall by gravity into operative engagement with cross bar 9. A subsequent upward sweep of handle 12 will lower frame 6 and bring the parts into the relative positions shown in Fig. 3. Projection 22 is now positioned in the path of finger 31 so that, as cross piece 29 or rod 42 is depressed, arm 14 is thrown upwardly into engagement with latch 24 in a manner analogous to that already described. It is to be noted that the cross piece 29 of handle 28 always remains in the same position relatively to handle 12 irrespective of the hook 14 so that the part 29 is always positioned for convenient operation. Thus, the hook arm may be connected to and disconnected from rod 9 in an improved and eflicient manner as desired by the operator manipulating the parts provided for this purpose.

he particular arrangement and relative disposition of the handle 12, hook 14, and links 8 together with the pivots 9, 13, 15, and 16 is important since advantages are obtained,which relate to the easy and efficient lifting of a load by manipulation of handle 12 and its associated mechanism. As above described, the hook pivot 15 lies substantially in a line connecting rod 9 and handle pivot 13, when the frame 6 is in lowthelinks 8 are moved more rapidly at the latter part of the downward sweep of handle 12. The lift of frame 6 is not, however, uniform for uniform angular movements of link 8, but on the contrary is more rapid at the start and gradually decreases to a minimum when the pivotal connection of link 8 with frame 6 directly overlies pivot 16. Thus, the links 8 are moved slowly at the start but at this time a small angular movement of the links causes a relatively large vertical lift of frame 6. Moreover, as the angular movement of links 8 become more rapid, as the handle 12 is swept downwardly, the vertical lift of frame 6 for given angular movements of the links decreases. Thus, at the start relatively slow angular speed of links 8 is offset by relatively fast vertical lift for a given angular movement and at the end the relatively fast angular speed of links 8-is offset by the relatively slow vertical lift for a given angular movement. Thus, the non-uniform angular speed of link 8 is balanced against the non-uniform vertica lift so that the two work in compensatory relation. l

The practical result of the arrangement just described is shown in Fig, 7 in the form of a curve 45 which is plotted against vertical lift of frame 6 as ordinates and uniform angular movements of handle 12 as abscissze. From'this curve, it will be seen that the two non-uniform factors above described substantially balance one another except at the immediate start and end of the sweep of handle 12, so that'the curve 45 coincides with the dot and dash line 46 (indicating uniform lift for uniform angular movements of handle 12) for the greater part of the swee of the handle.

Thus, the wor required from the, operator is distributed throughout the'sweep of the handle, as distinguished from the general practice in trucks heretofore when frequently, the greater part of the effort was required at the immediate start of the sweep of the handle and' gradually decreased to a minimum near the end of the stroke. Generally, the lifting, trucks heretofore employed have been arranged as just described and are in consequence hard to start. The improved arrangement, however, makes starting easy and, as a substantially uniform effort is required throughout the stroke of the handle, the operators work is distributed rather than localized.

The invention has been described for illustrative purposes in a single preferred embodiment. The scope of the invention, however, is particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

What I claim is 1. A lifting truck, comprising, a carriage,

a handle therefor, a hook arm pivoted .at the lower part of the handle, a load lifting mechanism connected to said carriage having means for temporary engagement by said hook and operable by such engagement and a downward sweep of the handle to lift a load, and mechanism associated with the handle and operable independently of the movement of thelatter and at the will of the operator to disengage said hook 'arm, said last-named mechanism constructed and arranged to normally remain in the same relative position with respect'to the handle irrespective of the movements of the latter and said hook arm. a

2. A lifting truck, comprising, a carriage, a platform, means connecting the carriage and platform operable to lift the latter, a

hook arm pivoted nearnthe lower with the, former, and mechanism structurally independent of said hook and movable in-.

dependently of the handle at will to remove the arm from engagement with said means,

and "releasable means.

0 hold said arm out of hook engaging position.

3. A lifting truck, comprising, a'carriage,

a pivoted handle at the front thereof, a hook arm'pivoted atthe lower part of the handle, a load lifting mechanism connected to said carriage having means for, temporary engagement by said hook, a device normally holding the latterlou't of engagement withv said means and releasable atthe will of the operator, said. means and hookzarm bein constructed and arranged sothat the latter, whenreleased, falls into engagement with the former, said hookarm being operable by a downwardsweep of the handle to lift a load, and mechanism associated with the handle andfoper'able independently of the latterat the will of the operator to engage the hook arm when; said lifting. mechanism is, in raised or lowered position, whereby said hook arm maybe disengaged from said means and thrown into engagement with said device. p .1

4. A lifting truck, comprising, a carriage, a pivotedhandle at the front thereof, a end of the handle, a load lifting mechanism connected to the carriage having means for said hook arm to engage and devices mountedfor. in-

dependent movement within the handle and adapted to engagesaid arm, all constructed and arranged so that-a downward sweep of the' handlemay operate said mechanism and the hook may be disengaged therefrom by actuation of said devices by the operator, i

said devices arranged. to normally remain in the same relative position with respect to the handle irrespective ofthe movement of said hook arm, whereby said devices are po.

all times for convenient opera- 7 sitione d at tion. I

5. A lifting truck, comprising, acarriage, a handle pivoted at the front end thereof, a load lifting mechanism connectedto the carriage, a hook farm pivoted vto and adapted to connect with and operate the handle said mechanism by movement ofsaid han-.

'dle on, its pivot, the pivotal connection of said hook arm being in the rear of and substantiallyin the same horizontalplane as the handle pivot when the handle .is up, a

latch on the handle adapted normally to hold the hook from movement on its pivot, said hook arm.-being constructed to autolid till) naaaare matically engage said mechanism when the handle is up and the latch is released, and a device structurally -independent of said hook arm and operable independently of the handle when the latter is raised or lowered to disengage said hook arm from said mechanism and throw it into engagement with said latch, the latter and said device constructed and arranged for actuation by theoperator to cause the connection and disconnection of aid hook arm.

6. A lifting truck, comprising, a handle pivoted at the front end thereof, an arm pivoted at one end to said handle and formed at its other end with a hook, a load lifting mechanism connected to the carriage having means for temporary engagement by said hook and operable by such engagement and a downward sweep of the handle. to lift a load, a latch pivoted to the handle and arranged to normally hold said arm from movement on its pivot, said arm and means being constructed and arranged so that the former, when the latch is released, falls into engagement with the latter, and meansto disengage said arm and throw it into holding engagement with said latch, said lastnamed means comprising a crank arm pivoted to the handle, and arranged for actuation by the operator, a finger pivoted to said crank arm and yieldably held in engagement therewith, and projections formed on said hook arm and arranged so that one or the other thereof-lies in the path of said finger when the handle is raised or lowered respectively, all constructed and arranged for the connection and disconnection of said hook arm by and at the will of the operator,

7 A lifting truck, comprising, a carriage, platform, means connecting the'carriage and platform operable'to lift the latter, a pivoted handle on the carriage, an arm piv oted to the handle having a hook to engage and operate said means by movement pf the handle, said means and hook arm he a carriage,

ing constructed and arranged so that the latter has a tendency to position with the former the handle and arranged said hook out of engaging position, a crank arm pivoted to the handle, a finger pivoted to said crank arm and arranged to discern nect said hook arm from said means and throw it into engagement with said latch, a stop on said crank arm engageable by said finger, the crank arm having a part to en'- gage the handle to form a stop for the crank arm and a part arranged in the path of the latch to torm a stop therefor, and a spring connecting said latch and finger and arfall into engaging a latch pivoted to to normallyhold ranged to normally hold the latch, crank arm, and finger against their respective stops and to permit independent movement of each away from their crank arm and latch arranged for manipulation by the operator to and disconnection of means, as desired.

.8. A lifting truck, comprising, and a platform, each formed of a single illshaped bar, a rear axle fastened to the cross piece of said frame on which the rear wheels are mounted, an arched member connecting the open ends of said frame having vertical slots etween said member and the side bars of the frame, links pivoted on the rear axle and to said platform, other links connecting the frame and platform movable in and limited by said slots, a rod mounted in said member and extending entirely thereacross on which the last-named links are pivoted, said rod being held from lateraldiepla'ccment by the side bars of said trance, and a said hook arm and a frame,

truck handle operated means to swin I? said a links on their pivots, i vhereby the platform may be raised and lowered.

an lifting truck, comprising, a trams and a platform, each termed o l a smgle ti-- shaped bar, means fastened to the cross piece of said frame on which rear wheels are.

mounted, an arched member connecting open ends of said frame links horaontally. pivoted at their lower ners said frame, to said platform, a area member in which steerin "v ed, a flange termed on said a port said member, ears formed eled irame extending above a handle mounted rod for the latter projectir c over and c adjacent whereby r movement h latter and said swiveled frame 1i means with handle swing said links on ots, wherehy the platform may he ra lowered in. A lilting truck, comprising, rings, a p form, links pivotally co the carriage platform at the 'o more e truck, co. the ends oi the forward pair, closely adjacent their pivotal connc with the platform, a handle pivoted carriage, and a hook pivoted to die and arranged for temporary engageme .t with said cross rod, the pivot for said hook arm normally lying behind and substantially in a straight line between the latter and said ,cross rod, hook able by a downward sweep of the handle swing said links on their pivots and raise said platform, said cross red when the latter respective stops, said cause the connection" the handle pivot llti and arranged so that the rate of lift of the platform is substantially uniform for uniform movements of said handle.

11. A lifting truck including a lifting 5 mechanism, a pivoted handle to draw and steer the truck and having mounted at the lower end thereof means to connect the ham dle with said mechanism, when desired, said means including a pivoted hook arm, a latch to hold the latter normally out of position 0 and a structurally independent manually operable lever to move the hook arm to latched position.

WILLIAM F. IRRGANG. 

